Motion-picture photography



May 27, 1930. N. H. MANN MOTION PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY Filed June 18, 19273 Sheets-Sheet 1 N VEN TOR. N. /-z MA/V/V A TTORNE Y.

May 27, 1930.

N. H. MANN MOTION PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY Filed June 18, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR /V. H. MAN/V ATTORNEY.

May 27, 1930., N. H. MANN MOTION PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY Filed June 18, 19273 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,1 TTORNEY.

Patented Ma 27,19 1,760,156

5 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE NED HERBERT MANN, 01 LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA MOTION-PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY Application filed June 18, 1927.Serial No. 199,763.

My invention relates to the art of produc- Fig. is a face view of afragment of the ing composite motion pictures. completed compositemotion picture.

The general object of this invention is to V Fig. 11 is a face view of afragment of moprovide action pictures by combining eletion picture filmhaving a scene thereon to be 5 ments which may be photographed atdifferused as a background. 55 ent times and in different places intoone film Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a series of wherein thedifierent elements will appear to cards upon which each frame of thefilm have been photographed simultaneously. shown in Fig. 11 has beenreproduced on an Another object of my invention is to proenlarged scale.10 vide a method of compositing a motion pic- Fig. 18 is a perspectiveview of the series 60 ture photographed action figure upon a of cardsshown in Fig. 12 showing the cut out drawn or still picture backgroundin such a action figure shownin Fig. 5 as having been manner as toproduce a motion picture film pasted thereupon. wherein the actionfigure appears to have been Fig. 14 is a face view of another still pic-15 actually photographed simultaneously with ture or drawn background.

the background. Fig. 15 is a face view of a fragment of mo- A furtherobject of my invention is to protion picture film having thereon anaction vide an improved motion picture film made figure to be used inconnection with the backby combining action pictures with still groundsshown in Fig. 14. pictures. P Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a seriesof 70 An additional object of my invention is to cards upon which eachframe of the action provide a composite film made by combining figurefilm shown in Fig. 15 has been printed an action background with anaction characon an enlarged scale. ter separately made. Fig. 17 is aperspective view of a series of 2 Other objects and advantages of myinvenplates of glass upon which the action figures 75 tion will beapparent from the following deshown in Fig. 16 have been pasted afterhavscription taken in connection with the accoming been cut out. panyingdrawings wherein: Fig. 18 shows the manner of combining the Fig. l is aface view of a still picture or backgrounds shown in Fig. 15 and theaction drawn background such as may be used in figures shown in Fig. 17.connection with my invention. F ig.- 19 is a face view of a fragment ofthe Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a series of. completed compositemotion picture film. the backgrounds shown in Fig. 1, showing the Fig.20 is a perspective view of a series of same as having been photographedand rebackground cards having an action figure produced upon cards readyfor use. thereon to be used in combination with the 85 Fig. 3 is a faceview of a fragment of moglass plates shown in Fig. 17. tion picture filmhaving thereon an action Fig. 21 is a diagrammatic view showing thefigure. method of compositing the action figures Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of a series of shown in Fig. 18 upon a projected motion 40 cardsupon which each frame of the action picture.

figure film has been reproduced on an en- In the production of motionpictures great larged scale. expense is often incurred in producing cer-Fig. 5 is a view of the action figure after tain scenes which includecharacters or backit has been cut out. ground of unusual type or size orin scenes 4 Figs. 6-, 7 and 8 show the action figure where certainactors must perform before pasted upon the backgrounds in various posibackgrounds which are far removed from tions. the studio. With myinvention the back- Fig. 9 shows the method of photographing ground maybe a still picture and the actors the composite stills upon a motionpicture .can perform before any kind of background. 50 film. The actionfilm is then composited with the 9 still background to make a completedmotion picture film whereupon it appears that the actors and thebackground were actually photographed simultaneously. This saves theexpense of transporting the actors to the desired background or ofbuilding a life size set for the background. A great saving of time isalso effected as the background may be shot when convenient and withoutinterferenceby weather or seasonal conditions.

Also with my .invention the background may be photographed upon a motionpicture film and" then each frame of the background film treated as astill and composited with the action film upon which the actors appearas will be more fully explained hereinafter. My improved method ofcomposite film photography is also particularly adapted for producingfreak or trick effects and for producing scenes wherein apparently theactors are in great danger without actually subjecting the actors to anydanger whatsoever. Where I employ the term action figure in thespecification and claims, it is to be understood 'that I have referenceto a real object, animate or inanimate in natural action and not to adrawing or a puppet which is animated by artificial means.

In Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive I have shown my method of producing acomposite film upon a still background. indicated generally at 10. Thisbackground 10 as shown in Fig. 1 may be originally either a frame from afilm, a still photograph or a drawing of the desired scene. Thebackground 10 is then photographed and printed or otherwise reproducedupon a series of background cards 11 as shown in Fig. 2. The number ofbackground cards 11 that are required is determined by the number offrames required to make the complete shot. For instance if it requiredone hundred frames in the comaction pleted film to make the shot, acorresponding number of background cards 11 would be required.

The background cards 11 are all provided with gauge holes 12 which areall in exactly the same relatiorghip to the background 10 upon each cardand the cards 11 are each consecutively numbered as shown in Fig. 2

from 1 to 100 inclusive.

' As shown in Fig 3 the action figure (which in this instance is anautomobile) indicated at 13, is photographed upon a motion picture film14 against any kind of background. Each frame of the film 14 is thenprinted or reproduced on a card 15 as shown in Fig. 4 on a scale tomatch the background 10. The number of frames required to make thecompleted shot in this instance being one hundred the cards 15 arenumbered from 1 to 100 inclusive be inning with the card whereupon thegure 13 first enters the scene.

The action figure 13 is then cut out from each of the cards 15 as shownin Fig. 5 and a number corresponding to the number of the card fromwhich it was cut is preferably placed on the back of the cut out actionfigure 13. The cut outaction figures 13 are then pasted in the correctposition on the background cards 11 which bear numbers corresponding tothe numbers on the backs of the action figures 13 (see Figs. 6, 7 and8).

In Fig. 6 the action figure 13 is shown as just entering the scene andin Fig. '7 the action figure 13 is shown as passing behind a sign postin about the center of the scene. As in Figs. 7 and 8 when the actionfigure 13 is supposed to appear to pass behind an object, the portion ofthe action figure which is apparently obstructed from View is cut awayand the remaining portion or portions correctly pasted on the backgroundcard.

After the action figures 13 have been placed on the background cards 11the background cards are placed on gauge pins 16 on a support 16 whichpass through the gauge holes 12 in the cards as shown in Fig. 9. Acamera, indicated in dotted lines at 17 in Fig. 9, is then focused onthe cards 11. The camera 17 is adapted to receive a negative motionpicture film 18 which is fed behind the lens of the cameraintermittently.

seen that each scene 10 will be photographed on each frame of the film18 in exactly the same position. r

In Fig. 10 I have shown a face View of a fragment of completed positivefilm 20 which has been produced by my improved method of compositephotography which has just been described in the foregoing paragraphs.WVhen this film 20 is projected upon a screen it appears as though thebackground and the action figure were actually photographedsimultaneously.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 I have shown the manner in which a motion picturebackground may be used in combination with a cut out figure. In Fig. 11I have shown a fragment of motion picture film 21 of the scene to beused for abackground. When using a background which has beenphotographed by a motion picture camera action may also take place inthe background as shown by the aeroplane indicated at 22. Each frame ofthe'film 21 is then printed upon a card 23 on an enlarged scale as shownin Fig. 12 and thereaftertreated as a still picture.

As previously explained in connection with the background cards 11 therewill be the same number of cards 23 as there are frames required to makethe completed shot, each card being provided with gauge holes 24 similarto the gauge holes v12 in the cards 11. After-each frame has beenenlarged upon the cards 23 the desired action figure or figures arepasted upon the cards as previously described in connection with theFigs. 4 to 8 inclusive. In Fig. 13 I have shown the action figure asbeing the automobile 13 shown in Fig. 5. After the action figure hasbeen pasted upon the cards 23 each of the cards are then photographedupon a frame of a motion picture film as previously explained inconnection with Fig. 9.

Although I have described only one cut out action figure as beingincorporated in a scene it will be understood that as many out outaction figures as desired may be included in a scene. For instance theaeroplane 22 in Fig. 11 might be photographed separately, enlarged, cutout and pasted upon a background which was originally a still picture ordrawn as previously explained in connection with the automobile 13.

In Figs. 14 to 19 inclusive I have shown another method wherein a cutout action figure is composited with a drawn or still picture backgroundto produce a complete motion picture shot.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a drawn or still picture background which hasbeen reproduced upon a card 25 which is provided with gauge holes 26similar to the gauge holes in the previously mentioned cards 11 and 23.The action figure which is to be combined with the background on thecard 25 is shown as an aeroplane indicated at 27 on a fragment of motionpicture film 28 in Fig. 15. As previously explained in connection withthe action figure 13 in Fig. 5 the aeroplane 27 is printed upon a seriesof cards 29 (see Fig. 16) the number of cards 29 corresponding to thenumber of frames required to make the completed motion picture film ofthis particular shot. Each adtion' figure 27 is then cut out from thecards 29 and pasted upon individual numbered plates of transparent glass30 as shown in Fig. 17. The action figures 27.are so arranged that theproper movement takes place in passing from one plate to another. Thebackground card 25 is then placed on a support 31 having thereon gaugepins 32 which match with the gauge holes 26 in the card 25 and passtherethrough to correctly position the card 25 (see Fig. 18). The glassplates 30 having thereon the cut out action figure 27 are then placedone at a time from the first to the last, over the background card 25.The support 31 is' also provided with a suitable gauge 33 for the plates30 to correctly position each plate 30 in exactly thesame relatlonshipto the background card 25. Each time a different plate 30 is placed overthe background card 25 the combination is photographed upon a frame of anegative motion picture film as previously explained in connection withFig. 9.

In Fig. 19 I have shown a fragment of positive motion picture film 35which has been produced by the use of the still picture background 25and the glass plate 30.

It will be noted that when the glass plates 30 having the action figurethereon are used only one copy of the background is necessary when thereis no action taking place in the background.

When action is to take place in conjunction with the background as shownby the man indicated at 36 on the background cards 37 in Fig. 20, it isnecessary that a series of background cards 37 be provided correspondingin number to the number of frames required to make the completed shot.T" action figure 36 may be either a cut out' pasted thereon aspreviously explained or the background and the action figure may befirst photographed on a motion picture film and then each frame of thefilm printed upon the cards 37 on an enlarged scale as previouslyexplained in connection with Fig. 11.

In Fig. 21 I have shown another method of combining the action figure 27on the glass plates 30 with a background taken by a motion picturecamera. In this instance a positive motion picture film is printed fromthe negative film and projected one frame at a time by a speciallyconstructed motion picture projecting machine 39 upon a lighttransmitting screen 40 such as frosted celluloid. The glass plates 30are positioned one at a time, from the first to the last, over theprojected background on the side of the screen 40 opposite to theprojecting machine 39. Then as each frame of, the background isprojected upon the screen 40 the corre sponding glass plate 30 is placedover the background. The combination is then photographed by a specialmotion picture camera 41 upon a motion picture film, one frame at atime, until all the frames required for the shoP have been taken.

As shown in Fig. 21 the projecting machine 39 and the camera 41 areelectrically operated and wired in series so that when the circuit iscompleted by the switch 12, the projecting machine will move thepositive motion picture film therein one frame and project that frameupon the screen 40 and at the same instant the camera 41 will move thenegative motion picture film therein one frame and photograph thecombination of the projected background and the action figure upon theglass plate 21. Suitable means would of course be provided for lightingthe action figure 27 on the glass plate 30.

The projector 39 and the camera 41 may be synchronized electrically asshown in Fig.

21 or by an arrangement of mechanical elements but I do not deem itnecessary to here go into the details of construction of the va- 5 riousmechanical elements.

'Itwill also be understood that although I have shown and explained theaction figures as being first photographed upon a motion picture film,they may be, if desired,

animated drawings, wax figures or other types of animation.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provideda novel, simple and eflicient method of producing composite motionpicture films which will greatly reduce the expense of producingelaborate or freak shots and at times remove the hazards of producingcertain diificult shots in the film.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. The method of producing composite motion pictures which consist inreproducing a given scene upon a series of cards, then photographing afigure in real action upon a motion picture film, reproducing each frameof said motion picture film upon a card on a scale to match with saidscene, cutting out said action figure, then placing said action figurein the correct position on said scene cards, and then photographing saidcards consecutively upon individual frames of a motion picture film.

2. The method of producing composite motion pictures which consists inphotographing a given scene upon a motion picture film, reproducing eachframe of said scene film upon individual cards on an enlarged scale,then photogra hing on a motion picture film an action gure, reproducingeach frame of said action film upon individual cards on a scale to matchthescale of said scene, cutting out the action figures, from saidindividual cards, then placing said action figures in the correctposition on each of said scene cards and then photographing said cardsconsecutively upon individual frames of a motion picture film.

3. For use in motion picture photography a set of cards each having agiven positive scene thereon, each card having a separately photographedpositive view of a figure in real action secured thereto, said figurebeing in various "active positions upon individual cards and on a scaleto match the scale of said scene. 7 4

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

I NED HERBERT MANN.

